Moscow, Feb 28 (IANS): At least six people were killed in a coalmine blast in Russia on Sunday, the country's emergency ministry said.

Sunday's blast took place a day after a similar blast occurred in the coalmine in which four miners died and nine others were injured.

When the blasts took place on Sunday, as many as 77 people -- 38 rescuers and 39 mine employees -- were underground at the Severnaya mine in Vorkuta, the Komi republic, Tass news agency quoted the ministry as saying.

According to reports, six people were killed. Five of them were rescuers from the Russian ministry for emergency situations. One person was a mine employee, the ministry added.

Five people were injured. "All of them are on the surface. The Severnaya mine's doctors are examining them," the emergencies ministry said.

At least 26 miners remained missing after the repeated blasts and there were no chances for the survival of them, the ministry added.